As Mike Herrera (vocals / bass) will tell us during this interview the chances of seeing the original line-up (completed by Tom Wisniewski on guitar and Yuri Ruley on drums) in Europe in the near future are not really much. So, for the time being you'll have to check out the MXPX All Stars(live project started out in 2009 by Mike himself) and that's what gotanerve-zine.com did.
I personally went to their Milan date and got the chance to seat down with Mike before the show to have a nice chat about the new MXPX record entitled "Plans Within Plans" and out through German Flix records, the All Stars project, being a grown up punk musician and much more.
They won't be on the famed music mag covers anymore but they're still rocking hard, making their own thing and not giving a fuck. So read on what Mike had to say.
gan: Hey Mike what'up?
Yeah...this is Mike from MXPX and we're on this European tour for "Plans Within Plans" this is our third show so we just started. We started out here in Italy and now actually is our last show here in Milan, and then we go to Switzerland and, you know, more European countries.
They won't be on the famed music mag covers anymore but they're still rocking hard, making their own thing and not giving a fuck. So read on what Mike had to say.
gan: Hey Mike what'up?
Yeah...this is Mike from MXPX and we're on this European tour for "Plans Within Plans" this is our third show so we just started. We started out here in Italy and now actually is our last show here in Milan, and then we go to Switzerland and, you know, more European countries.
gan: So that's just two shows, what are your first impressions this time around?
Oh yeah, you know, it's seems to be picking up things. You know we started and played a couple of shows, the first shows but we are excited, our new album "Plans Within Plans" just came out. You know every night to me it's like a brand new experience. That's great.
Oh yeah, you know, it's seems to be picking up things. You know we started and played a couple of shows, the first shows but we are excited, our new album "Plans Within Plans" just came out. You know every night to me it's like a brand new experience. That's great.
gan: You have been around a very long time. How long actually?
Yes, it'll be 20 years this summer...yeah..
gan: So you guys must have a huge list to pick song up. What are you going to play tonight? What European kids expect? A mix of recent/older stuff, what else?
gan: We'll play a mix of favourite songs. We have some songs you've never heard before from some more obscure albums or just obscure songs from popular albums...eh...one example is "First Day of the Rest of Our Lives" from "Before Everything And After" we'll be doing "Wrecking Hotel Rooms". So those two songs are songs we didn't play a lot in the past, and of course we have the new songs like "Far Away" and a couple of other songs.
gan: What are some expectations on tonight show?
It's Milan...we've not played here in the past so hopefully people can show up...the weather is not so great but hopefully people just wanna get to see a punk show.
gan: It's the middle of the week...
Yeah...Wednesday night...it's always hard when we play...Monday, Twesday, Wednesday...
gan: Perhaps is different in the other countries, isn't it?
gan: I think it's the same for every country for the most part. Even in the US people don't like to go around on the week days. Weekends are always the best.
gan: So you guys must have a huge list to pick song up. What are you going to play tonight? What European kids expect? A mix of recent/older stuff, what else?
gan: We'll play a mix of favourite songs. We have some songs you've never heard before from some more obscure albums or just obscure songs from popular albums...eh...one example is "First Day of the Rest of Our Lives" from "Before Everything And After" we'll be doing "Wrecking Hotel Rooms". So those two songs are songs we didn't play a lot in the past, and of course we have the new songs like "Far Away" and a couple of other songs.
gan: What are some expectations on tonight show?
It's Milan...we've not played here in the past so hopefully people can show up...the weather is not so great but hopefully people just wanna get to see a punk show.
gan: It's the middle of the week...
Yeah...Wednesday night...it's always hard when we play...Monday, Twesday, Wednesday...
gan: Perhaps is different in the other countries, isn't it?
gan: I think it's the same for every country for the most part. Even in the US people don't like to go around on the week days. Weekends are always the best.
gan: Can you please introduce this All Stars project and tell our readers hown this thing came about?
MXPX All stars and MXPX it's just MXPX but I got a couple of guys playing with me here in Europe. They're from a band called Cancer and it's a really great band. They've played in a lot of punk bands, they're friends of mine so I started bringing them about as my backing band. Tom and Yuri are on the new album and in the band but they are not doing full tours because they have full time jobs at home so they can only go on weekends. And we can't be here in Italy on the weekends it's too far for them to fly. So it's still a great MXPX show and people have a great time.
gan: But in the past you had guys from The Ataris and Good Charlotte...
Yeah...Kris Roe from The Ataris and Chris Wilson from Good Charlotte. They did some tours with me but not all. In Europe I usually have different people than the ones I have in the US. It's kinda cool like that because, you know, we tailor our show a lit bit differently for each regions so you'll always get something special. So Italy is getting something special that US doesn't get.
gan: With the official MXPX dudes you just recorded a new record "Plans Within Plans". How this new records fits among the other releases?
It fits good...I mean...it feels people are ready to hear a new album from us, and it's actually coming out this Friday on April the 6th in Europe. So go check out "Plans Within Plans", of course...type MXPX or go to Facebook and...or go to MXPX.com. There's a news item with...you know, you can listen the whole album for free you can dowload these particular songs for free, watch a video, of course, for "Far Away". So if you wanna check out some good skate punk check out our new album.
gan: How old are you Mike, if some bios around are correct we should be same age (35). How do you live being in a band and a touring musician today compared to when you guys started out?
So much is different, almost everything is different. But I think one thing is obviously...writing good songs...it's important. Write songs that connect with people and, they have not to be complicated...electronic...really they have to be the way you feel and communicate how you feel. Next, you know, for me punk rock has always been about ideas, come out together, making it better, railing against injustice, railing against people that are just selfish and care only for themselves...you'll find them all across the world of course, with authorities, governments, militaries you know so on and so forth...so for me that's what punk rock is about and of course is fun too.
gan: What is it like living in the Bremerton and how, if at all, has the experience shaped your musical style?
It's a smaller town. Bremerton, Washington is a town which is an hour away from Seattle. Most people know Seattle. We played a lot there over the years of course. It's kind of naval-ship yard town and they made the main industry with ships, boats...We have always made our own scene, I mean, you start making your own scene because there's not many big promoters, money, bringing in a lot of big bands...we had some bigger bands every now and then... we had Lollapalooza, The Beastie Boys...we had Guns N Roses, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam...you know , and even some punk bands like Descendents, GBH...we have sometimes country artists...I actually got to open for Crystal Gale...she's a very oldschool American country singer.
gan: The genre you play got a lot of hype at the end of 90's early 2000, you guys were on a major label and “Responsibility” hit the charts. What do you remember about those days?
gan: You know, I'm still playing shows, still making records. You know we're not making records as often as we used to but I feel like I'm taking my time and trying enjoy my life instead of rush...you know always have new stuff out. I'd love to do new stuff all the time but people...they can't handle too much...there's already too much online with the websites and it's easy to find new music and it can be also hard to find new music...so much of it's bad...so stick with what you like.
gan: You guys have always tried to deliver a positive message? Where do you draw inspiration from?
Yeah...you know I write a lot of positive music but I also write non positive music but this doesn't happen with MXPX albums. So I keep the positive stuff for MXPX and some more like drinking songs...like the stuff I write for an older crowd like for Tumbledown but for me I think I draw inspiration from everywhere, other forms of art, of course, media, politics and as I grow older I think my music is more serious, you know, I still have fun songs into the albums but...it's not always positive to be positive but also let's be serious and discuss problems that need to be fixed.
MXPX All stars and MXPX it's just MXPX but I got a couple of guys playing with me here in Europe. They're from a band called Cancer and it's a really great band. They've played in a lot of punk bands, they're friends of mine so I started bringing them about as my backing band. Tom and Yuri are on the new album and in the band but they are not doing full tours because they have full time jobs at home so they can only go on weekends. And we can't be here in Italy on the weekends it's too far for them to fly. So it's still a great MXPX show and people have a great time.
gan: But in the past you had guys from The Ataris and Good Charlotte...
Yeah...Kris Roe from The Ataris and Chris Wilson from Good Charlotte. They did some tours with me but not all. In Europe I usually have different people than the ones I have in the US. It's kinda cool like that because, you know, we tailor our show a lit bit differently for each regions so you'll always get something special. So Italy is getting something special that US doesn't get.
gan: With the official MXPX dudes you just recorded a new record "Plans Within Plans". How this new records fits among the other releases?
It fits good...I mean...it feels people are ready to hear a new album from us, and it's actually coming out this Friday on April the 6th in Europe. So go check out "Plans Within Plans", of course...type MXPX or go to Facebook and...or go to MXPX.com. There's a news item with...you know, you can listen the whole album for free you can dowload these particular songs for free, watch a video, of course, for "Far Away". So if you wanna check out some good skate punk check out our new album.
gan: How old are you Mike, if some bios around are correct we should be same age (35). How do you live being in a band and a touring musician today compared to when you guys started out?
So much is different, almost everything is different. But I think one thing is obviously...writing good songs...it's important. Write songs that connect with people and, they have not to be complicated...electronic...really they have to be the way you feel and communicate how you feel. Next, you know, for me punk rock has always been about ideas, come out together, making it better, railing against injustice, railing against people that are just selfish and care only for themselves...you'll find them all across the world of course, with authorities, governments, militaries you know so on and so forth...so for me that's what punk rock is about and of course is fun too.
gan: What is it like living in the Bremerton and how, if at all, has the experience shaped your musical style?
It's a smaller town. Bremerton, Washington is a town which is an hour away from Seattle. Most people know Seattle. We played a lot there over the years of course. It's kind of naval-ship yard town and they made the main industry with ships, boats...We have always made our own scene, I mean, you start making your own scene because there's not many big promoters, money, bringing in a lot of big bands...we had some bigger bands every now and then... we had Lollapalooza, The Beastie Boys...we had Guns N Roses, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam...you know , and even some punk bands like Descendents, GBH...we have sometimes country artists...I actually got to open for Crystal Gale...she's a very oldschool American country singer.
gan: The genre you play got a lot of hype at the end of 90's early 2000, you guys were on a major label and “Responsibility” hit the charts. What do you remember about those days?
gan: You know, I'm still playing shows, still making records. You know we're not making records as often as we used to but I feel like I'm taking my time and trying enjoy my life instead of rush...you know always have new stuff out. I'd love to do new stuff all the time but people...they can't handle too much...there's already too much online with the websites and it's easy to find new music and it can be also hard to find new music...so much of it's bad...so stick with what you like.
gan: You guys have always tried to deliver a positive message? Where do you draw inspiration from?
Yeah...you know I write a lot of positive music but I also write non positive music but this doesn't happen with MXPX albums. So I keep the positive stuff for MXPX and some more like drinking songs...like the stuff I write for an older crowd like for Tumbledown but for me I think I draw inspiration from everywhere, other forms of art, of course, media, politics and as I grow older I think my music is more serious, you know, I still have fun songs into the albums but...it's not always positive to be positive but also let's be serious and discuss problems that need to be fixed.
gan: Here in Europe the record is out through a DIY German label called Flix record. How did they hook you up?
You know, most of those labels I work with are just people I've met over the years touring or I have friends that say “there's this guy who has a label”...so it's all very organic and it comes together in a real way...it's not just having a manager go and shop your album like...it's really I work with everybody that I know.
gan: What about your project Tumbledown? You working on new stuff?
Yeah...Tumbledown, we started in 2007 when MXPX wasn't touring I started doing Tumbledown to...well, cause I'm a musician so I write songs I was writing a lot of more folk punk stuff, country songs and those are different...if you like punk rock and like acoustic music it's kind of all together. But it's fast, party songs, drinking songs.
You know, most of those labels I work with are just people I've met over the years touring or I have friends that say “there's this guy who has a label”...so it's all very organic and it comes together in a real way...it's not just having a manager go and shop your album like...it's really I work with everybody that I know.
gan: What about your project Tumbledown? You working on new stuff?
Yeah...Tumbledown, we started in 2007 when MXPX wasn't touring I started doing Tumbledown to...well, cause I'm a musician so I write songs I was writing a lot of more folk punk stuff, country songs and those are different...if you like punk rock and like acoustic music it's kind of all together. But it's fast, party songs, drinking songs.
gan: Future plans? Any chance to see official MXPX again on stage here in Europe?
Maybe, I mean, it's gonna be a while. Tom and Yuri pretty much newly in their jobs they can't skip their jobs. Maybe in few years...but I want to say enjoy the music, check out “Plans Within Plans”, come see us play. The MXPX All Stars is... I mean I write all the songs and I sing so it sounds like MXPX. But I added All Stars to let everybody know that this is not just the original line-up. Even if Tom is not our original guitar player...so technically there hasn't been the original line-up of MXPX in about 18 years hehehe...
Maybe, I mean, it's gonna be a while. Tom and Yuri pretty much newly in their jobs they can't skip their jobs. Maybe in few years...but I want to say enjoy the music, check out “Plans Within Plans”, come see us play. The MXPX All Stars is... I mean I write all the songs and I sing so it sounds like MXPX. But I added All Stars to let everybody know that this is not just the original line-up. Even if Tom is not our original guitar player...so technically there hasn't been the original line-up of MXPX in about 18 years hehehe...
gan: What about your favourite song ever? You wrote a lot of stuff...
Oh...let's see...let'see...one of my favourite is “Drowning” off “Secret Weapon”...“Secret Weapon” itself and out of new record my favourite song is “Screw Loose”...it's just a simple Black Flag stuff punk song but it's got so much energy and it really says a lot how I feel a lot of times...I feel like I'm going crazy so yeah that's my favourite.
Oh...let's see...let'see...one of my favourite is “Drowning” off “Secret Weapon”...“Secret Weapon” itself and out of new record my favourite song is “Screw Loose”...it's just a simple Black Flag stuff punk song but it's got so much energy and it really says a lot how I feel a lot of times...I feel like I'm going crazy so yeah that's my favourite.
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